Morris Minor Owners Club

last weekend i fitted a radio in my little moggy. this is the first time i have ever dont anything electrical in a car. but when wireing up the live to the ignition i used a piggy back. when i put the speedo back in it touch it and some smoke can from the wires (didnt see which). i think it earthed it

now everynow and again the wipers, fuel gauge, indecators and heater dont work i looked in the manual and it says all these get there power from the Voltage Stabiliser.

so if i replace this will it sort it out.

Thanks Tom

I suggset you carefully take the speedo back out - and look for the wires that have been touching! Then insulate them properly to make sure it doesn't happen again. The features you mention all come from the ignition controlled fuse - in the fuse box under the bonnet. So inspect the two fuses - clean the contacts - and refit. That will probably sort the problem - but may be worth cleaning and refitting ALL the connections at the fuse box - then spray lightly with WD40.

hotrodder13 wrote: now everynow and again the wipers, fuel gauge, indecators and heater dont work i looked in the manual and it says all these get there power from the Voltage Stabiliser.

Just to make this clear - That statement is incorrect - Only the fuel gauge takes its power from the voltage stabiliser. The other circuits from the fuse box as stated by bmce....

As does the volts stabiliser - so if all are not working - it's something to do with the ignition fuse and/or it's connections! It's just possible the other items are 'piggy backed' off the input to the stabiliser (ages since i studied this in any detail) - so in that sense they would " get there(sic) power from the Voltage Stabiliser " - although not of course through the stabiliser since only the fuel gauge runs on reduced volts ! Phewww.

Did you already convert from positive earth to negative earth?

All the above items use a common earth behind the drivers side glovebox which then goes to the regulator in the enginse bay. This can be a problem worth checking. I had this last week and ended up putting a new earth in to the body at this point as the original was a little vague, especially after I had short circuited the battery (for a very short time) during a change of Dynamo's.

when i tested the box next to the fuse box only one terminal was live the other one goin to the ignition was live some times and not live other times. so ill try having a look at the fuses next and cleaning it up.